If you’re thinking about adding blackberries to your garden this year, I would love to go on record saying that you will not regret the decision to grow these tasty fruits. As a family who eats some type of berries daily with our breakfast, blackberries have become one of my favorite fruits to grow.
With their climbing habit, blackberries can grow in a small amount of space, and they promise to yield a great harvest beginning in their second year, and every year thereafter. They are wonderfully low-maintenance, great producers, and they pack an antioxidant punch that has very few rivals.
There are a number of different plants that can be utilized in increasing the yield of your blackberry plants. Some of them mutually benefit from the relationship as well and provide a harvest of their own. Let’s talk about blackberry companion planting, and what you can plant to increase your harvest this summer.
Companion planting is the practice of planting two or more different plants in close proximity to one another, to achieve benefits for one or both plants, preferably for all involved. In nature, this happens organically. Plants tend to grow close to those they benefit from a relationship with.
The practice of companion planting was used by the North American Indians long before English settlers arrived on the continent. Most notably, the trio of corn, beans, and squash, known as the Three Sisters, have been grown together with much success for all three crops.
To understand the relationship between the three plants, we look at each plant’s environmental needs and growth habits.
The corn acts as a trellis for the beans to grow upon. The beans draw nitrogen for the other plants to utilize, as well as stabilize the corn, and the large leaves of the squash plants serve to insulate the other plant’s roots and hold moisture in the ground as well as minimize the growth of weeds.
Blackberries are a delicious fruit that are easy to grow in most climates. With thorny or thornless varieties available, blackberries can be planted in any backyard. While blackberries are hardy and don’t require much maintenance, planting companion plants with them can optimize growth and production.
In this article, we’ll look at 18 of the best companion plants for blackberries and how they can benefit your blackberry patch
Why Use Companion Planting?
Companion planting is the process of planting different plants together so they can help each other grow. Certain plants will deter pests, attract pollinators, or provide shade and mulch that benefits nearby plants.
Here are some of the main benefits of using companion planting with blackberries:
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Attracts pollinators: Plants like borage, hyssop, and bee balm will attract more bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds to pollinate your blackberries.
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Repels pests Strong scented herbs like mint chives, and tansy can help keep pests away from your blackberries.
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Provides shade: Fruit trees and oak trees give dappled shade that blackberries need to thrive.
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Adds nutrients: Nitrogen-fixing plants like beans enrich the soil with nutrients that blackberries need.
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Prevents erosion: Low plants like strawberries act as living mulch to hold in moisture and prevent erosion.
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Natural mulch: Deciduous trees provide leaves that break down and nourish the soil around blackberries.
18 Companion Plants for Blackberries
Here are some of the best companion plants to grow with blackberries:
1. Apple Trees
Apple trees provide dappled sunlight that blackberries need. Their fallen leaves also act as a natural mulch to nourish the soil around blackberry bushes.
2. Blueberries
Blueberries have similar soil needs as blackberries, so they make great companions. They’ll also attract more pollinators to benefit both plants.
3. Strawberries
Like blueberries, strawberries make an ideal living mulch around blackberries. Their roots help hold in moisture and prevent erosion.
4. Grapes
Let your blackberries and grapes grow together to attract pollinators. Just be sure to trellis them to prevent tangling.
5. Hyssop
The flowers of this herb attract pollinators while also repelling pests like beetles and moths.
6. Chives
The allium family deters pests with their strong scent. Grow chives around the border of your blackberry patch.
7. Borage
Also called starflower, borage attracts pollinators with pretty blue flowers. It can also be made into an oil to treat skin conditions.
8. Bee Balm
With its bright flowers, bee balm brings in pollinating insects to help your blackberry harvest.
9. Mint
Mint grows well around blackberries and helps repel pests. Its small flowers also attract pollinators.
10. Sunflowers
Larger than blackberries, sunflowers can be used as a trap crop to lure pests away from your berries. Their bright flowers also attract pollinators.
11. Beans
Bush beans and other legumes enrich the soil with nitrogen. Grow them as a cover crop before planting blackberries.
12. Oaks
Let your blackberries grow under oak trees for dappled light. Their fallen leaves also act as mulch.
13. Tansy
With its pungent aroma, tansy drives away several pests that bother blackberries. It also fixes nitrogen in the soil.
14. Roses
Beautiful roses don’t compete with blackberries for nutrients. Plus, they help draw in pollinators.
15. Thyme
This fragrant herb deters pests while attracting beneficial insects like ladybugs.
16. Lavender
Repels deer and rabbits while attracting pollinators. Looks beautiful growing alongside blackberries.
17. Marigolds
The scent of marigolds deters harmful nematodes and other garden pests.
18. Garlic
Plant garlic as a border to keep pests like aphids and caterpillars away from your blackberries.
Avoid Growing These Near Blackberries
While most plants thrive next to blackberries, there are a few you’ll want to keep separate:
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Nightshades: Tomatoes, peppers, potatoes can transfer blights to blackberries.
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Raspberries: While similar, raspberries and blackberries share diseases if planted together.
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Carrots and parsnips: These root veggies will compete for nutrients with blackberry roots.
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Cucumbers: Susceptible to many of the same pests and diseases.
Get the Most From Your Blackberry Patch
By planting helpful companion plants, you can optimize pollination, reduce pests, and create the ideal growing environment for your blackberries. Focus on filling your garden with plants that deter harmful insects, attract pollinators, and enrich the soil. With the right companion planting, you’ll be rewarded with a bountiful blackberry harvest each summer.
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Blackberries as Companion Plants
Ideally, the relationship between all companion plants is a symbiotic one. Each plant will have specific things that they bring to the table, and also what they take away.
Let’s look at the benefits and disadvantages of blackberries as companion plants, and then talk about which plants make good companions for your blackberry plants as well.
Blackberries are such a delicious and healthful fruit to grow, and so easy! These vining plants are happiest when they have something to grow upon, and lots of water and sunshine. Their u003cstrongu003efertilizing needs are lowu003c/strongu003e, and they like soil that drains well.rnrnIn terms of what they have to offer in companion planting, blackberries grow well on trellises and have a rather small footprint in the garden. This makes them a great space saver. Blackberries also offer some shelter from intense sun and wind if they are placed in such a way that they shield another more fragile crop.
In terms of disadvantages, blackberries have only one that is particularly noteworthy. That is, they u003cstrongu003espread quicklyu003c/strongu003e, sending up new shoots in whatever spaces they please. This habit makes them somewhat invasive, so they are difficult to pair with other edibles, but they do very well with herbs and flowers, increasing pollination.rnrnMostly, blackberries are beneficial for human consumption, so despite their lack of offering to other plants, they are worth growing for that reason alone. More important are the plants that make good companions for blackberries by increasing the fruit yield and minimizing pests.
Grow The Most Incredible BLACKBERRIES In 5 Easy Steps!
FAQ
What should you not plant near blackberries?
- Artichokes are gorgeous plants that produce wonderful, elegant vegetables. …
- Fennel makes a great potted plant and is both fragrant and delicious in the kitchen. …
- Oregano has many benefits in the garden. …
- Peppers are nightshades, so they are heavy feeders.
What is a good ground cover for blackberries?
Shallow-rooted annuals work well as ground covers that can be changed at the whim of the gardener. Some of the best annuals for color and form include sweet alyssum, bacopa, petunia, and creeping zinnia. These annuals have a long bloom time to attract beneficial pollinators to your blackberry plants.
What do blackberry bushes need to thrive?
Baby Cakes® performs best in a fairly neutral soil with a pH of 6.5–7.5. The soil and location should be well-drained and in full sun.
Do blackberries need 2 plants to produce fruit?
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Raintree Nurseryhttps://raintreenursery.comGROWING berries BLACKBERRIES – Raintree NurseryA blackberry is a tart, edible fruit produced by a blackberry cane (Rubus species). … There are two types, floricane producers that produce fruit the second y…
